Tag Archives: environment

Jerry Mander is a kind of technology prophet. As an ex-advertising guru he ‘got religion’ and in 1977 began to herald the dangers of technology in Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. In his 1992 book, In

The National Coalition of Organizations has declared February 1-5, 2010 to be Clean Energy Week, as organizations from across the U.S. hold a variety of events to encourage and support the passage of clean energy and climate policies now pending in Congress. The objective is to engage the Administration and Congress in taking action on the top environmental and economic priorities of the American people:

Do you want to get lean while
staying green? Whether you’re a runner, a competitive cyclist, a
recreational yogi or a vacation skier, there might be a more
sustainable way for you to exercise.

Recently, I was inspired by LuluLemon’s blog posts considering not only what we wear on our bodies but also how
we wear our clothing. The author of the blog, challenged herself to
dress for both work and for working out with only two bottoms to choose<br

“Sarah…just saw Avatar, it was great!” “Mark…wants you to see Avatar!” The facebook status updates of my friends keep pouring in. Not interested in another blockbuster blow-em-up movie, I looked to my various communities to see what people think and sure enough the reviews are there too. Young and old, Democrat or Republican, Eco-Conscious and Eco-Hating, the status updates had a clear message, to see Avatar.

Perhaps as a reaction to the annual peak of consumerism (the pre and post-Christmas holiday season sales), I’m thinking these days of ways of alternative non-material gifts for my friends. What comes to mind are the types of things we, in our technology-driven world, may be taking for granted as everyday conveniences. Yet, in many parts of the world, these are considered luxuries.

It’s easy enough now to share images and videos of ourselves with either the world at large or a select group of friends and colleagues using sites like Flickr, Vimeo, Blip.tv, Facebook and YouTube. When it comes to gifts for loved ones, creative items

While I don’t have any quick fixes to offer, here are a few ideas that may have potential:

1. As within, so without. All change begins with me.

Recognize that who we are and what we stand for is the starting point for all significant change. Looking inside ourselves to clarify what is important is an essential step. What is our commitment to our children and grandchildren, to future generations and to other species with which we share the planet? How do we balance

I continue to be struck by the environmental challenges facing planet earth. With signs of increasing public awareness about the deepening climate crisis, it is gratifying to sense a noticeable shift taking place in my own and others’ behaviour. For instance, I see more and more people supporting recycling programs, choosing Energy Star appliances, and driving fuel efficient cars. And we change our light bulbs! Yet is it enough?

According to Dr. David Suzuki, “it is not progress to use up the rightful legacy of our children and grandchildren.” He opened the first Elders and the Environment Forum on Monday in Vancouver, Canada with a keynote address that focused on the role of elders in the environmental movement and how we can make a difference:

Tell it like it is, find our voice and speak out
Tell us all what is possible and keep us fixed on creating the future
Remind younger generations that true wealth

The conventional wisdom in Alcoholics Anonymous is that alcoholism is a ‘disease’ of the ego—self-centeredness. Basically the alcoholic becomes trapped in his or her own point of view and denies any other perspective on ‘reality’. The alcohol is a symptom of a loss of control and choice—a condition of cognitive blindness and a self-destructive pattern of behavior. I have distinguished that culture works the same way. That is, the ego is to the individual what culture

Today is the day after the Canadian federal elections. It’s also Blog Action Day on Poverty. Admittedly, poverty is an important issue, and so are politics. But there is an intractable problem we all face that is the context for poverty, economics and politics. And that is the environment. Our elected leaders in Canada and the U.S. will not only set the course for
North American environmental and economic policies for the next few years, but will also impact